Devotion of the Month

MAY ~ MONTH OF OUR LADY
In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”

Steps to Heaven is a non-profit organization which provides families with burial remembrances (burial gowns, pocket blankets, keepsake pillows, and stone angels) free of charge to those who have experienced the loss of an infant through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. Although they are not in need of any more gowns at this time, please see the brochure for more information on the ministry. Please call 337-654-1781 for more information.

+ Louisiana Right to Life – Pulse Weekend:

PULSE Leadership Institute

Timothy Retreat Center, Baker

July 8-12, 2019

Resource Recommendations

The following are resource recommendations from the Diocese Office of Marriage & Family Life:

+ Retrouvaille Weekend: A program for troubled marriages. The weekend provides a safe setting; encouraging couples to learn communication in marriage in a respectful manner. Visit the website for more information and to register www.helpourmarriage.com.

+ Codependents Anonymous (a fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is to develop health relationships: (337)261-5607

Parish Announcements

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Announcements

+ The Perpetual (24 hours) Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is available to us at Mercy Regional Hospital Chapel. If you are interested in becoming a regularly scheduled adorer or a substitute adorer, please callTheresa Attales (337)363-1852 or Julius Bischoff (337)290-1133.

+ We would like to remind our parishioners that if you or a family member are sick or physically unable to attend Mass, please contact our office. We can connect you with one of our Homebound Ministers to bring you the Eucharist at home.

Summer Vacation Bible School

Monetary donations to cover refreshments or supplies would be greatly appreciated!

Parishioners For Life

Parishioners For Life—Motivating Members to Help End Abortion

Divine Mercy and Pro-life

St. Pope John Paul II declared the Sunday after Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday. Many of the faithful pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy regularly. There is a link between this devotion and the pro-life movement. Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, who was a principal translator of St. Faustina’s diary, and the postulator of her cause of canonization, writes the following: “On at least three occasions, from 8:00-11:00 in the evening, she felt like her insides were being torn apart. She suffered so much that she thought she was going to die. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was ailing her, and no medication was able to alleviate her sufferings. Later, she was given to understand that she was undergoing those pains for mothers who were aborting their children (Diary, 1276).

“On another occasion, she had a vision of an angel coming with thunderbolts to destroy one of the most beautiful cities of her country. And she felt powerless to do anything about it (Diary, 474). What antidote did the Lord give her? The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. [She explained] that the city was to be chastised for its sins, primarily the sin of abortion.“ (“Wombs of Mercy,” Marian Helpers Bulletin, Summer 1995, p.13).